Can handling machine



March 27, 1951 HAMlLTON 2,546,501

CAN HANDLING MACHINE Filed Aug. 13, 1945 Patented Mar. 27, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

In packing plants where food is canned, it is customary in many instances to seal each filled can and then to place a number of such cans in a kettle and subject them to further cooking or to sterilization by heat. In order to conserve space in the kettle it is customary to arrange the cans in the kettle by hand according to a predetermined plan. When the cans to be thus arranged are hot, as is frequently the case, filling the kettles is an unpleasant operation and one which can be performed only with some difficulty.

It is the object or" my invention to provide canfeeding mechanism by which the hot cans can be properly arranged in the kettle to conserve space therein. More specifically, it is my object to produce can-conveying and can-positioning mechanism which will make it unnecessary for an operator to handle the can himself. A further object of my invention is to provide a mechanism which will receive the cans as they are fed continuously from the sealing machine and which will continuously deposit the cans in the proper position within the kettle.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a generally helical chute having at its lower end a discharge opening and at its upper end a generally horizontal portion adapted to receive cans fed from the sealing machine. The helical por tion of the chute is positioned above a horizontal turntable which is mounted for vertical movement and for rotation. about a vertical axis. Power-operated means are provided for rotating the turn-table, whereby a cylindrical kettle on the turn-table can be rotated as cans are fed from the chute on to the kettle-bottom and against the side wall of the kettle to become arranged in an annular series. The horizontal chute-portion is pivoted on a vertical axis so that by swinging the chute additional annular series of cans may be formed in succession on the kettle-bottom and within the first series. Means are provided for controlling the vertical position of the table, so that after the bottomof the kettle is covered by the first layer of cans succeeding layers can be deposited until the kettle is full.

The accompanying drawing illustrates my invention: Fig. 1 is a plan view or" the apparatus; Fig. 2 is a side elevation with parts of the ap paratus shown in section; and Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. s

In the device shown in the drawing it agesof the chute about its axis of connection with the bracket M. In order to avoid excessive loading of the pivotal connection between the chute-portion l2 and the bracket it, the chuteportion may be provided with rollers it which roll on tracks I? as the chute swings about its vertical axis.

Beyond the end of the table H, and preferably in a pit 26 in the floor 2!, I mount a vertical cylinder 22 containing a reciprocable piston 23 movable vertically with a piston rod 25 which extends upwardly from the cylinder. 7 end or" the piston rod 25 supports a plate 25 upon which there is mounted a rotatable turn-table 25 and means for rotating it. Such means as shown, includes an electric motor 21, a variable speed transmission mechanism 28, and a pinion 25% which meshes with a ring-gear til on the bottom of the turn-table 26. A source of fluid under pressure is connected through a pipe 32 and a three-way valve 33 to the lower end of the cylinder 22 so that by the proper manipuiation of the valve 33 fluid can alternatively be admitted to the lower end of the cylinder to raise the plate 25 and. the parts carried thereby or.

exhausted from the cylinder to permit the plate 25 and the load upon it to descend under the influence of gravity.

Above the turn-table 26, the chute It has a :eneral helical form suflicient in vertical extent 0 permit the lower end of the chute to reach he be tom of a kettle 35 disposed on the turn- ;able it? while the horizontal portion E2 of the chute clears the upper edge of the kettle.

1 be clear from the drawing, the lower end w of the chute is arranged to discharge in a direction generally normal to the horizontal chuteportion i2 and generally radially of the kettle 35.

To use the apparatus, the table 25 is lowered to a position adjacent the floor 2i, as shown in dotted lines, anda kettle 35 is placed on the table. In the lowered position of the turn-table it, there is sufiicient clearance between it and the lower end of the chute it to permit the kettle to be inserted. By operation of the valve 33, the table isthen raised to the full-line Position shown in which the lower end of the chute it will be only a slight distance above the bottom of the kettle. With the chute positioned as shown in full lines in Fig. 1, the turn-table is rotated by the motor 2? in the direction indicated by the "arrow, and the cans are fed through the conduit The cans move along the horizontal portion l2 under it into the horizontal chute-portion l2.

The upper pleted, the chute is moved inwardly of the kettle, by swinging it about its axis of mounting in the bracket Hi toward the dotted-line position shown in Fig. 1, so that cans discharged from the lower end of the chute will form a second annular series inside the first annular series deposited. This operation of forming successive and pro gressively smaller series of cans is continued as long as there is room for the lower end of the chute to be received within the innermost series, when the bottom of the kettle will be substantially covered with cans. The valve 33 is then operated to permit the plate 25 to descend for a distance equal to the height or the cans, whereupon the series of operations above described will be repeated to deposit a second layer of cans. The cans are thus deposited in successive layers until the kettle 35 is full, and the filled kettle is then removed from the turntable 26 and an empty kettle put in its place for a second kettleiilling series of operations.

It is to be noted that the interior cross-sectional shape of the chute throughout its extent approximates the shape or" each can in side elevation. As a result, adjacent cans are maintained approximately parallel to each othe" with their axes approximately normal to the top and bottom walls, and the cans slide through the chute without jamming. In the helical portion of the chute, some departure of adjacent cans from exact parallelism will necessarily occur, as will be clear from Fig. 3; but curvature of the chute in a plane normal to the top and bottom chute-walls should be, and need not be, so abrupt as to permit any can to tilt and become wedged. The over-all horizontal dimensions of the helical chute-portion should of course be such as will permit the discharge opening of the chute to move radially, or generally radially, of the kettle for the required distance without interference from the side wall of the kettle.

I claim as my invention:

1. In apparatus of the type described, a turntable adapted to support a kettle to be fille with cans, means supporting said turn-table for rotation about a vertical axis and for vertical movement, power-actuated means for rotating the turn table and for controlling its elevation, a generally helical chute disposed above said turntable, said chute being adapted to receive cans as its upper end and having a can-discharge opening at its lower end, and means supporting said chute for horizontal movement to vary the distance between the discharge opening and the axis of rotation of the turn-table.

2. In apparatus of the type described, a turntable adapted to support a kettle to be filled with cans, means supporting said turn-table for rotation about a vertical axis and for vertical movement, means for varying the elevation of said turn-table, a generally helical chute disposed above said turn-table, said chute being adapted to receive cans at its upper end and having a can-discharge opening at its lower end, and means supporting said chute for horizontal movement to vary the distance between the discharge opening and the axis of rotation of the turntable.

3. The invention set forth in claim 2 with the addition of a stationary can-conveying conduit, said chute being provided at its upper end with an integral horizontal extension having an inlet end disposed to receive cans from said conduit, and means pivotally supporting said chute-extension for swinging movement about a vertical axis adjacent its inlet end.

4. The invention set forth in claim 2 with the addition that said chute is provided at its upper end with an integral extension projecting horizontally beyond the limits of said turn-table and there having an inlet opening for cans, and means pivotally supporting said chute-extension for swinging movement about a vertical axis adjacent its inlet end.

5. The invention set forth in claim 2 with the addition that said chute i provided at its upper end with an integral extension projecting horizontally beyond the limits of said turn-table and there having an inlet opening for cans, and means pivotally supporting said chute-extension for swinging movement about a vertical axis displaced from the axis or" the turn-table.

6. In can-handling apparatus, a turn-table adapted to support a kettle to be filled with cans, means supporting said turn-table for rotation about a vertical axis, a can-conveying chute having an inlet portion and a downwardly extending generally helical delivery portion, teriinating in a can-discharge opening directed generally hori- Zontally and outwardly with respect to the helix, means supporting inovably said chute with its helical portion above said turn-table and radially movable with respect thereto, and means for varying the relative elevations of the turn-table and helical chute-portion.

7. In can-handling ap aratus, a turn-table adapted to support a kettle to be filled with cans, means supporting said turn-table rotation about a vertical axis, a can-conveying chute having a delivery portion located above said table and a receiving portion continuous with said delivery portion and extending laterally therefrom, said delivery portion extending generally do wardly from said receiving portion to enter a kettle on said table and having at its lower end a discharge opening directed radially outward with respect to said table, and means associated with the receiving portion or" the chute for supporting the chute for horizontal movement to vary the distance between said discharge opening and the axis of said turn-table. I

8. In can-handling apparatus, a turn-table adapted to support a kettle to be filled with cans, means supporting said turn-table for rotation about a vertical axis, a can-conveying chute including a delivery portion extending generally downwardly from a point above said turn-table to enter a kettle thereon, and means inovably supporting said delivery portion to permit adjustment of its lower end generally radially of said table.

9. The invention set forth in claim 8 with the addition of means for rotating said table.

10. The invention set forth in claim 8 with the addition that said turmtabie is vertically adjust able in its supporting means, and means for holding said turn-table at any of various elevations.

PERRY H. HAMILTON.

REFERENCES CETEIJ The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 373,306 Ranney Nov. 15, 1887 859,772 Hoyt July 9, 1907 1,198,639 Hodny Sept. 19, 1916 

